European Ocean Biodiversity Information System

[ report an error in this record ]basket (0): add | show Print this page

Sample acidification effects on carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios of macrofauna from a Zostera noltii bed
Vafeiadou, A.-M.; Adao, H.; De Troch, M.; Moens, T. (2013). Sample acidification effects on carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios of macrofauna from a Zostera noltii bed. Mar. Freshw. Res. 64(8): 741-745. dx.doi.org/10.1071/MF12169
In: Marine and Freshwater Research. CSIRO: East Melbourne. ISSN 1323-1650; e-ISSN 1448-6059
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors 
    Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee: Open Marine Archive 279349 [ download pdf ]

Author keywords
    decarbonation; inorganic carbon; macrobenthos; sample treatment;seagrass

Authors  Top 
  • Vafeiadou, A.-M.
  • Adao, H.
  • De Troch, M.
  • Moens, T.

Abstract
    Acidification treatment has been used in most stable isotope studies to eliminate inorganic non-dietary carbon, allowing d13C measurement of organic carbon needed for trophic studies. Because only limited information about the acidification effects on isotopic ratios exists in the literature, we provide an assessment of such effects for a wide range of benthic macroinvertebrates from estuarine intertidal sediments with sparse Zostera noltii Hornem. vegetation. Our results revealed only few significant d13C shifts for macrobenthos; however, d13C decrease after acidification was substantial for several species. We conclude that acidification is not necessary for removing calcium carbonate in a majority of macrobenthos, but we also suggest preliminary testing before deciding it can be omitted. The magnitude of the d15N shifts was substantial for some species and variability in d15N values of replicate acidified samples exceeded that of non-acidified samples. Therefore, sample acidification should be avoided for d15N determination. Moreover, acidification effects vary considerably among species belonging to a single class, rendering generalisations from single-species information potentially spurious.

All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Authors